Food and wine of the Tauber valley: what to eat and drink around Weikersheim

The Tauber valley sits where Franconia, Württemberg and Baden meet, and its cooking borrows from all three: hearty roasts and dumplings, simple country dishes and good local wine. Here is what to look for on the menu around Weikersheim.

What to eat

• Schäufele: slow-roasted pork shoulder with crisp crackling, served with potato dumplings and gravy. A Franconian classic.
• Grünkern: spelt harvested while still green and dried over a fire, a speciality of the area west of the Tauber. Try it in soup or as savoury patties.
• Maultaschen and Spätzle: Swabian filled pasta parcels and soft egg noodles, found on menus across Baden-Württemberg.
• Onion tart and new wine: in September and October, look for Zwiebelkuchen served with Federweißer, the cloudy, half-fermented new wine.
• Schneeballen: Rothenburg’s famous “snowballs”, balls of fried pastry dusted with sugar or dipped in chocolate.
• Game and asparagus: venison and wild boar in autumn and winter, white asparagus in spring.

What to drink

Vineyards cover the sunny slopes of the Tauber valley, including the hills around Weikersheim. The wines are fresh and dry, and best enjoyed close to where they grow.

• Tauberschwarz: a rare, light red grape that is almost unique to the Tauber valley. Look for it in local wine taverns and shops.
• Silvaner: the classic white grape of Franconia, crisp and earthy, often sold in the flat, round Bocksbeutel bottle.
• Müller-Thurgau and Riesling: easy-drinking whites found all over the region.
• Beer: Franconia has a huge number of small breweries. Ask for a local beer.

Where to try them

Traditional Gasthöfe in Weikersheim and the villages serve regional food, often with wine from their own region. Many wine growers sell from their cellars, and some open seasonal taverns. For a bigger choice, the great wine estates of Würzburg, such as the Juliusspital and the Bürgerspital, have restaurants and wine shops.

Tips

• Lunch is often served from about 11:30 to 14:00, and some kitchens close between lunch and dinner.
• Many country restaurants close one or two days a week. Check before you go.
• Ask for a “Schorle” if you want wine or juice mixed with sparkling water on a hot day.
• Plan a day around wine with our Würzburg day trip.